Stethoscope attachment



Nov. 30, 1943.

H. R. TREGILGAS STETHOSCOPE ATTACHMENT Filed March 2, 1942 Patented Nov. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STETHOSCQPE ATTACHMENT Harold R. Tregilgas, South St. Paul, Minn. Application March 2, 194.2, Serial No. 432,953.1/

5 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in stethoscope, wherein it is desired to provide a novel stethoscope attachment which is simple to attach or detach, and which is convenient to use.

Stethoscopes have been produced with head contacting plates attached thereto which may directly contact the head of a physician whereby the bone structure of the head acts as a sound conductor to intensify the sounds or vibrations conveyed by the stethoscope from the patient to the physician. These stethoscopes have usually been so constructed that the plate to engage the head is integrally connected to the diaphragm or bell of the stethoscope. While these devices have proven extremely advantageous in increasing the intensity of the sounds or vibrations, they have been found disadvantageous for certain reasons. In the first place, the stethoscopes so equipped are bulky to use when the head contacting plate or head encircling band is not needed. Furthermore, the head contacting plates have made such stethoscopes bulky to carry. As a result, while they are often used in ofiice work, such stethoscopes are rather rarely carried by a doctor when calling -on patients.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stethoscope with a quick detachable coupling by means of which a head contacting plate may be quickly fastened to a stethoscope, or detached therefrom. Accordingly, the stethoscope may be used in the usual well known manner without the head contacting plate attached, or may be transformed into a head contacting plate type of stethoscope when desired. As a result, a single stethoscope may be used for both purposes.

It is an extremely important feature of the present invention that the attachment to the stethoscope is so constructed that it may be easily carried in a pocket or bag and will require but little space. As a result, the attachment plate may be conveniently carried when making calls on patients and while visiting patients in hospitals. As a result, the advantages of the rather bulky head band type of stethoscope may be obtained with a readily portable apparatus.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a head band type of stethoscope which comprises a supporting rod which may be quickly attached to, or detached from, a stethoscope, and which includes a head engaging plate which may fold to form a convenient attachment to carry. ,It is necessary thatthe plate which contacts the o e ea Q i e doctor h -se ure Wr gh an le i the attachmentrod.

to the supporting rod. When in this condition, the attachment could not be readily carried about from 'placeto place.

A feature of thepresent invention lies in the provision of a detachable coupling which, when Coupled, serves to transmit" vibration through the attachment from the's'tethoscope. It is also a feature of the present invention .to provide a pivotal connection between the attachment rod and the head engaging plate constructed to transmit impulse or vibrations therethrough. Such an arrangement is irtremely important if the effectiven ess'ofthe device is not to be lowered. A further teatureof the present invention lies in the provision of a means for selectively holding the head contacting plate in operable or inoperable positionf 'Ihus there is no tendency for the plate to fold when inube, and at the same time, the plate will not pivot relative to the'rod when it is iii collapsed position.

These and otherobjects" and novel features of my inven-tion will' be'more' clearly and fully set ferth in the following specification and l s In the drawing forming a part of my specification:

Figure l is a perspective view of a stethoscope showing my attachment mounted thereupon.

Figure 2 is an eievauenview' of the attachment secured toa diaphragm type of stethoscope, a portion of the construction being shown'in'section. I Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lower surface of the head contacting plate removed from Figurefi is a perspective view of the coupling connecting the attachment tothe stethoscope.

Figure 5 is ase' ion view through the coupling shownin Figure ij Figure 6',is an elevation View of the attachment with the 'ead contacting'plate folded into inoperative position.

' Figure -7'shows the ttachment .in position upon a bell type of stethoscope. Figure is a perspective view of a modified form of head contacting plate."

Figure '9 is a'bottom view, partly in section, showing a ,portion of the I construction illustrated gu 'I he stethoscope A, illustrated in Figure l of the drawing, ,c'or'ripr'is' e's .a diapjhragm element "or end piece in .towhich is attachedl'a tubular connectonl l. A ranch lc'onnctor l2 conncts'lthe tubular member 1.! it [the ifiexibjie tubu ar ,co'n- 1 I 3 -l '4. {Ehese 'flexibl'e tubu ar conduits l3 and M are connected at l5 and I6, respectively, to the tubes I1 and I9, which terminate in ear pieces 20. A spring 2| connects the tubes l1 and I9, and holds them in such a position that they may be spread apart so that the ear pieces 2|] may be inserted in the ears of the examining doctor.

The diaphragm element It comprises a diaphragm casing 22 having a lower open surface which is closed by a thin diaphragm 23 secured in place by the flanged ring 24. A tubular nipple 25 communicating with the interior of the casing 22 forms a connection for an end of the.

tube or conduit so that sound from the diaphragm may be conducted through this tube. An opening 25 is provided in the tube of the casing 22 to accommodate the threaded end 21, of the coupling member 29. A shoulder 36 on the coupling member 29 may bear against the outer surface of the diaphragm casing. This is only one form of construction and it will be understood that the coupling member 29 may be riveted or otherwise secured to the casing 22.

As best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing, the coupling member 29 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed lugs or ears 32. These ears engage in the double thread 33 of the socket 34. The socket 34 is internally threaded to engage the ears 32, and by twisting the socket or the diaphragm element, the coupling may be connected or disconnected.

The socket 34 is secured to the lower end of the attachment rod 35. This rod 35 acts to conduct vibrations to the head engaging plate 36. This plate is pivotally connected to the rod, 35 in the manner which will now be described.

As best seen in Figure 3 of the drawing, the plate 35 is provided with a pair of opposed downwardly extending ears 3'! which may be punched from the material forming the plate 35. Aligned openings 39 are provided in the plates 3'l and a pivot 40 may extend through the plates 31 and through the upper extremity of the rod 35 to hold these elements together. Opposed indentations 4| in the ears 31 may engage in accommodating apertures 42 in the upper extremity of the rod 35 so as to frictionally hold the plate 36 in transverse position with relation to the rod 35. It will be noted that the portion of the plate 35 between the cars 31 firmly engages the end of the rod 35 so as to form a continuous connection between the rod 35 and the plate 38 in this position of the plate.

It is extremely desirable that the attachment indicated in general by the letter B be so constructed that it may be carried in the pocket when it is not in use. In order that the attachment may be conveniently carried, the plate 36 may be folded down into the position shown in Figure 6 of the drawing. In this position a pair of resilient ears 43, bent downwardly from the plate 36, may engage about the rod 35 to frictionally hold the plate 35 against the rod 35. With the plate 35 extending in a generally longitudinal direction with respect to the rod 35, the attachment may be easily carried in a pocket or bag.

In Figure '7 of the drawing, I disclose a bell type of stethoscope, indicated in general by the letter C, to which the attachment B is secured by means of the coupling described. A coupling member 44, identical to the coupling member 29, projects longitudinally from the bell or end piece 45 of the stethoscope and is engageable with the socket 34 of the'attachment B. This construcassa'hi tion is otherwise similar to the construction de-' fined.

In Figures 8 and 9 of the drawing, I illustrate a modified form of construction of head contacting plate. In this form of construction, a rod 46 is employed, similar to the rod 35 previously described, and equipped with a coupling, such as 34, at the lower end of the same. The head contacting plate 41 is formed with a central section 49 and two side sections 50 and 5|. The central section 49 of the plate 41 is rigidly secured to the rod 46, while the side sections 50 and 5| of the plate are attached to the central section by hinges 52 and 53, respectively. An ear 54 on the plate 50 engages the under surface of the central plate section 49, limiting pivotal movement of the end portion 50 of the plate 4'! in one direction. A similar ear 55 engages the under surface of the central section 49 of the plate 41 to limit pivotal movement of the end section 5|. Thus the end portions 50 and 5| of the plate 41 may pivot upwardly into the dotted outline position shown in Figure 8 for convenience in carrying, but when in use these side plate portions may be pivoted down, as shown in Figure 8 in full lines, to form a contacting plate of the necessary dimensions.

It will be noted that the attachment B is secured to the stethoscope in such a manner that all vibrations will be transmitted through the attachment. It will also be noted that while the head attachment plate is pivotally secured to the end of the attachment rod, a solid connection is provided between these elements when the plate is pivoted into operative position. I have found that the attachment may be readily transported or carried in the pocket or bag and may be readily attached when desired. It is extremely useful for physicians who are slightly hard of hearing, and therefore have difficulty in hearing heart beats and the like.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my stethoscope, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An attachment for use in combination with a stethoscope comprising a coupling member designed for rigid attachment to the stethoscope, a complementary coupling member detachably secured to said first named coupling member, a rod projecting from said complementary coupling member, a head engaging plate pivotally secured to said rod, and resilient means holding said plate in a predetermined pivotal relation to said rod.

2. An attachment for use with a stethoscope comprising a rod designed for attachment with the stethoscope, means designed for coupling said rod rigidly to said stethoscope, and a head engaging plate pivotally secured to said rod along an axis at substantially right angles to the axis of said rod.

3. An attachment for use in combination with a stethoscope comprising a rod secured to the stethoscope end piece, a head contacting plate, means pivotally securing said plate to said rod along an axis at substantially right angles to the axis of saidrod to pivot between a position generally'transverse with respect to the rod to a position extending generally ldngitudinally of the rod, and resilient means for holding the plate in these positions.

4. An attachment for use in combination with a stethoscope having a hollow bodied end piece comprising a coupling member designed for rigid attachment to the end piece, a rod having a complementary coupling member detachably connected to said first named coupling member, and

a head contacting plate secured to said rod and 10 extending transversely thereof. 

